What Is the MTN Logo?
The MTN logo is the letters MTN in black inside a yellow oval outline, on a yellow square. MTN first showed it in February 2022, the group's second brand overhaul since its founding.
MTN Group is the African mobile network founded in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1994 under the name M-Cell. It runs mobile and digital services across many African markets. The oval logo is available as the MTN logo SVG.
MTN Logo Facts
| Introduced | February 2022 |
| Symbol | An oval outline around the letters |
| Logo type | Emblem: the letters inside an oval |
| Earlier mark | Italic letters on a solid oval with a red underscore |
| Owner | MTN Group Limited |
What the MTN Logo Means
The MTN logo stands for a simpler, more digital MTN. The group presented the 2022 identity as part of its move from a telecoms company to a technology company.
- The yellow: MTN took ownership of the colour after its 2004 brand overhaul, and the 2022 logo kept it.
- The oval: kept from the old logo, but drawn as an outline instead of a solid shape.
- The letters: plain and upright, with the italics and red underscore gone.
Luca Gallarelli of TBWA\South Africa said the "reductionist thinking" behind the logo was what mattered, even if the design looks simple. MTN sums up its brand strategy as Opportunity + Energy = Progress.
MTN Logo History
The MTN logo has had two big overhauls since 1994, in 2004 and in 2022.
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1994 | The company is founded as M-Cell |
| 2002 | The name MTN Group Limited is announced |
| 2004 | The first brand overhaul makes yellow MTN's colour |
| 2022 | The new logo appears at the Johannesburg head office on 16 February |
| 2022 | MTN formally unveils the identity on 27 February |
The 2004 change defined the brand. MTN says it gave the company ownership of the colour yellow.
The 2022 refresh kept the yellow but stripped back everything else. The logo first appeared on signs outside the head office in Johannesburg. MTN then launched the wider campaign on 27 February, with events such as one in Lagos.
How MTN Rolled Out the 2022 Identity
MTN's 2022 identity was the work of several agencies, led by TBWA. The group included Yellowwood, Grid TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris and DDB, plus partner agencies across Africa.
- Backgrounds: sunshine yellow or plain white.
- Letters: black or yellow.
- Opening line: the question "What are we doing today?"
- First TV advert: a film called "Feet".
The refresh tied in with Ambition 2025, the group's strategy built on "leading digital solutions for Africa's progress". MTN's marketing head Bernice Samuels described it as a move "from a telco to a technology company".
For more brands like MTN, browse our tech logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did MTN change its logo?
In February 2022. The new logo appeared at the Johannesburg head office on 16 February and was formally unveiled on 27 February.
Why is the MTN logo yellow?
Yellow became MTN's colour after its 2004 brand overhaul. The 2022 redesign kept it while simplifying everything else.
What did the old MTN logo look like?
It had italic letters on a solid coloured oval, with a red underscore. The 2022 logo dropped all three for an outline oval and plain letters.
Who designed the new MTN logo?
The 2022 identity came from a group of agencies led by TBWA, with Yellowwood, Grid TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris and DDB.